[1st_timer]

Sorry for the novel, I've highlighted the bits most folks care about.

I was looking forward to today's weather as I wanted to get out to Smith Island to try fishing the shore for spec and stripers for the first time on my own. Got all the way across the sound but was way to far North from where I had been with a guide in the past. Ended up going through Ewell to the bay side which is another first for my boat, actually being in the bay proper.

At this point we were almost down to half a tank of fuel and I was becoming concerned so we returned to Ewell to fuel up and met the nicest lady that runs the little store/gas station. It was worth the high fuel cost just to talk to this lady for a bit.

After filling up we decided to stop goofing around (it was now nearly noon) so we returned to the Crisfield side of the sound. Tried putting my one and only umbrella rig in for a short troll but I have no idea what I'm doing so we had no luck there. Drifted for a bit and caught a small (maybe legal) croaker that went back in. We then headed south to the shoreline with no luck there, almost had something off an island that has a single building on it (I think it's some DNR museum or something) but the fish got off about 15 feet from the boat. It was roughly 24 inches and likely a striper.

We then checked the area by the chimney at the end of Jane's island with just a spot or two there, we moved further north on the sound side of Jane's Island and tried a few edges and grass beds, we eventually pulled out 2 x 18 inch spec, 1 x 14 inch spec, a 15 inch striper that went back in happily and 2 fair sized rays that never got to board the boat. All were caught jigging with a white jig head with a chartreuse paddle tail purchased from Hitch & Sons in Eden. One of the rays was caught on a bottom rig the other snagged while jigging.

We then headed back along the Jane's Island coast northward then took the channel behind the island to visit the channels that enter the island. We found a couple who's boat was a bit stuck on the bank due to the outgoing tide, we helped them out and chatted for a few minutes then headed back to the dock.

A fun day with a few fish and a lot of exploration and a few firsts.

Now I just need to catch a keeper striper and a keeper flounder on the boat to have most of the normal fish for our area. And I need alot more experience finding all of the fish. I've only been able to catch what I have thanks to alot of reading on these forums and a trip out with Kevin Josenhans last fall.

Question, how long do the specks and stripers stay around the Crisfield/Jane's Island area generally? Will they disappear for most of the summer and come back in the fall or will they stay throughout the summer?

Thanks for reading,
James
1st Timer

 

[Sueltame]

There will be striper that usually stay all summer. You can catch them doing what you were doing yesterday, but you will also be able to find larger schools via birds. When you get into the schools during the summer they contain fish from 12"-25" usually, but there are sometimes one or two pushing 30" mixed in. The fish get bigger as you get deeper in these school, so use heavy baits and vertical jig on top of them.

Have Fun.

 

[Rumbley]

What Sueltame said. Moving clean water..points, near deeper water Quiet!!
Tight lines!

 

[fishon81]

Nice specks!